Boxing Day spirit not dampened by cold weather

Many deal hunters were lined up early Wednesday despite the cold Boxing Day weather.

Steve Hohner was the first in line at the South Edmonton Common Best Buy and said he had arrived just before 1:30 a.m.

“We’re layered up pretty good and we’re doing shifts,” he told CTV News.

“I watched the hockey game on my phone, bundled up in a blanket.”

First time bargain hunters Shelby Hohner and Lexus Barmby said they were not likely to do it again.

“Probably not this early,” Hohner said.

“My toes are hurting,” Barmby added.

This Boxing Day though, they were on a mission.

“I wanted to make sure that I came for what I wanted and that I wasn’t the 50th person in line and not be able to get what I wanted after being here for six hours,” Barmby explained.

“I came for the experience. I really had nothing I wanted to get until I got here and figured out what I wanted,” Hohner said, adding it was “kind of fun.”

Staff at the store was rewarding those who braved the cold by handing out tickets for big items.

“Basically if they want one of our deals, give them the flyer so they come back in and they can get the TV that they want. So, if someone runs ahead of them or something like that and they want this they have the chance to get the TV they want,” Stefen Leblanc explained.

Many said the deals were worth the wait.

“He wants a mini fridge I just want some DVDs,” first time Boxing Day shopper Jean-Pierre Chiasson laughed.

Chiasson’s shopping friend Kris James said last year he took in the day at a big box store.

“We went to Wal-Mart and me and my friend ended up getting a whole bunch of video games for really cheap.”

Some have even travelled to get the best prices on favourite items.

“My son needs a computer he says,” Red Deer resident Terry Biem said.

“I’ve heard pretty good prices so we thought we’d come and take a look.”

Biem added he expected to see a bigger line up at the store.

“If it was warmer I bet you it would have been a bigger line up.”

According to our poll 82 per cent of respondents said they were going to stay home rather than head out in search of deals.

Just 11 per cent said it wouldn’t be Christmas without the shopping tradition.

Photos

Shoppers turned out in droves to take in the deals at South Edmonton Common's Best Buy on Boxing Day.

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